1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to card connectors. The present invention more particularly relates to a card connector having a switch mechanism configured to detect insertion of a card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras, portable phones, printers, and portable terminal devices (for example, personal computers) use a memory card into which an IC memory is packaged as a storage medium. This type of memory card, which can be reduced in size and thickness and be increased in capacity, has been attached to more and more electronic apparatuses.
Further, in electronic apparatuses, there is a demand for a card connector that allows selective attachment of various types of memory cards different in shape.
Here, a description is given, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, of a card connector of related art.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card connector configured to allow selective insertion of various types of memory cards different in shape. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the card connector of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the card connector of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A.
In the drawings, X1-X2 (the X-axis) indicates the directions of width, Y1-Y2 (the Y-axis) indicates the directions of length, and Z1-Z2 (the Z-axis) indicates the directions of thickness (height) of the card connector or a memory card. Further, Y1 indicates the direction in which the memory card is inserted into the card connector, and Y2 indicates the direction in which the memory card is ejected from the card connector.
A description is given of a general configuration of the card connector.
Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, a memory card connector 60 includes a lower housing module 70, an upper housing 100 stacked on the upper surface of the lower housing module 70, and a metal-plate cover member 120 that covers the upper housing 100. A misinsertion preventing member 130, a first detection switch 140, and a second detection switch 160 are provided inside the memory card connector 60. The memory card connector 60 has an insertion opening 61 at its Y2 end. The insertion opening 61 includes a lower insertion slot (opening) 62 corresponding to the lower housing module 70 and an upper insertion slot (opening) 63 corresponding to the upper housing 100.
The memory card connector 60 is mounted on the printed circuit board of an electronic apparatus to be incorporated into the electronic apparatus so that the insertion opening 61 is exposed on the exterior surface of the electronic apparatus.
A first memory card 20 (for example, an SD memory card), a second memory card 30 (for example, a memory stick), and a third memory card 40 (for example, a multimedia card) are selectively attachable to the lower insertion slot 62 of the memory card connector 60. Further, a fourth memory card 50 (for example, a memory stick Duo) is attachable to the upper insertion slot 63 of the memory card connector 60.
Here, the third memory card 40 and the fourth memory card 50 have the same terminal arrangement. The fourth memory card 50 is three-fifths as long as the second memory card 30. The first memory card 20 and the third memory card 40 have substantially the same outside dimensions, substantially the same length as the fourth memory card 50, a little larger width than the second memory card 30, and the same terminal arrangement, but are different in that the first memory card 20 has a writing indication member 23.
Next, a description is given of a structure of the lower housing module 70.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the lower housing module 70 is an insert-molded component (a component formed by insert molding) having multiple contact members 80 and multiple double-contact members 90 insert-molded into a lower housing body 71 of synthetic resin. Further, a pair of movable terminal members 141 and 161 is press-fit into and fixed to the lower housing body 71.
The lower housing body 71, which has a substantially quadrilateral frame shape, includes an X1-side frame rod 72, an X2-side frame rod 73, and three horizontal parts 74, 75, and 76. The frame rods 72 and 73 have respective guide grooves 72a and 73a on their interior side.
The contact members 80 are inserted into the horizontal part 74 positioned near the lower insertion slot 62, and are arranged side by side in correspondence to the terminals of each of the first memory card 20 and the third memory card 40.
The double-contact members 90 are insert-molded into the Y1-end horizontal part 76. Referring to FIG. 3, each double-contact member 90 has a (shorter) contact arm part 91, a (longer) contact arm part 92 longer than the contact part 91, and a lead terminal part 94. The contact arm part 91, the contact arm part 92, and the lead terminal part 94 are connected at a base 93 of the contact arm part 91. The lead terminal part 94 extends in the Y1 direction from the base 93 of the contact arm part 91. The contact arm part 91 is insert-molded into the horizontal part 76.
The contact arm parts 91 of the double-contact members 90 are arranged side by side in correspondence to the arrangement of the terminals of the second memory card 30. The contact arm parts 92 are positioned on the Z1 side relative to the frame rods 72 and 73 in a vertical direction so as to extend in the Y2 direction, and are arranged side by side in correspondence to the arrangement of the terminals of the fourth memory card 50.
Next, a description is given of a shape of the upper housing 100.
Referring in particular to FIG. 2, the upper housing 100, which is a molded component of synthetic resin, has a frame shape including an X1-side frame rod 101, an X2-side frame rod 102, and two horizontal parts 103 and 104. The frame rods 101 and 102 have respective guide grooves 101a and 102a on their interior side. Multiple through holes 105 are formed in the horizontal part 104. The contact arm parts 92 of the double-contact members 90 penetrate through the corresponding through holes 105.
Next, a description is given of attachment of memory cards to the memory card connector 60.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the lower housing module 70 has an internal space for attaching the first memory card 20, the second memory card 30, and the third memory card 40. The upper housing 100 has an internal space for attaching the fourth memory card 50.
When the fourth memory card 50 is not attached, one of the first memory card 20, the second memory card 30, and the fourth memory card 40 is selectively attached to the memory card connector 60 through the lower insertion slot 62.
On the other hand, when none of the first memory card 20, the second memory card 30, and the third memory card 40 is attached, the fourth memory card 50 is attached to the memory card connector 60 through the upper insertion slot 63. The fourth memory card 50 is attached with its terminals in contact with the corresponding contact arm parts 92.
When the first memory card 20, the second memory card 30, or the fourth memory card 40 is attached, the misinsertion preventing member 130 is pressed in the Y1 direction by the attached memory card 20, 30, or 40. As a result, the misinsertion preventing member 130 is rotated approximately 90° in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3 so as to prevent the fourth memory card 50 from being attached to the memory card connector 60 in the upper housing 100.
On the other hand, when the fourth memory card 50 is attached, the misinsertion preventing member 130 is held by the attached fourth memory card 50. As a result, the misinsertion preventing member 130 is rotated approximately 90° in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3 so as to prevent the first memory card 20, the second memory card 30, or the third memory card 40 from being attached to the memory card connector 60 in the lower housing body 71.
Next, a description is given of a structure of the first detection switch 140 and a structure of the second detection switch 160.
The first detection switch 140 detects attachment of the first memory card 20 and the third memory card 40. The first detection switch 140 includes the movable terminal member 141 and a fixed terminal part 125 (FIG. 1) formed by cutting and raising part of a side plate part 123 (FIG. 1) of the cover member 120.
The movable terminal member 141 is fixed to the frame rod 73 with the base part of the movable terminal member 141 press-fit into and fixed to a corresponding slit of the frame rod 73. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the movable terminal member 141 has an arm part 145 and a horseshoe contact part 146. Bending of the arm part 145 allows the contact part 146 to be displaced in the X1 and X2 directions. That is, the contact part 146 is displaced in the same direction as the end of the arm part 145 is bent.
When the first memory card 20 or the third memory card 40 is attached, part of the X2-side surface of the first memory card 20 or the third memory card 40, which part is near the end of the X2-side surface in the insertion direction, presses away the arm part 145 in the X2 direction, so that the arm part 145 is bent in the X2 direction. As a result of this elastic deformation of the arm part 145, the contact part 146 is displaced in the X2 direction to approach the fixed terminal part 125, and the end part of the contact part 146 comes into contact with the fixed terminal part 125. As a result, the first detection switch 140 is turned ON to output a card detection signal.
The second detection switch 160 detects the position of the writing indication member 23 to determine whether the writing indication member 23 of the first memory card 20 is at a write enable position P2 or a write inhibit position P1 (FIG. 1). The second detection switch 160 includes the movable terminal member 161 and a fixed terminal part 129 (FIG. 1) formed by cutting and raising part of the side plate part 123 of the cover member 120.
The movable terminal member 161 has substantially the same configuration as the above-described movable terminal member 141. Referring to FIG. 2, the movable terminal member 161 includes an arm part 165 and a horseshoe contact part 166 at the end of the arm part 165.
When the writing indication member 23 of the first memory card 20 is at the write inhibit position P1, the second detection switch 160 does not come into contact with the writing indication member 23, thereby remaining OFF. On the other hand, when the writing indication member 23 of the first memory card 20 is at the write enable position P2, the arm part 165 of the second detection switch 160 comes into contact with the writing indication member 23 to be pressed away in the X2 direction, so that the contact part 166 comes into contact with the fixed terminal part 129 provided on the cover member 120. As a result, the second detection switch 160 is turned ON to output a write enable detection signal.
The memory card connector 60 is configured to be mounted on the printed circuit board of an electronic apparatus with the leg parts of the cover member 120 being screwed to the printed circuit board and soldered to ground patterns. The lead terminal part of the movable terminal member 141 and the lead terminal part of the movable terminal member 161 are soldered to the corresponding pads of a detector circuit on the printed circuit board. Accordingly, when the first detection switch 140 and the second detection switch 160 are turned ON or OFF, the corresponding detection signals are input to the detector circuit, so that the electronic apparatus in which the memory card connector 60 is mounted performs control in accordance with the combinations of the detection signals.